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Singer/guitarist Shane Sahene calls lowsunday "a dream unification of four artists with nearly limitless creative boundaries and respect for each other."
To some, this is a musician clawing for the top by boasting about the prowess of his group. Understandable, of course. But is it true? In the case of lowsunday, Sahene makes a good call, as a couple of hearings of "Elesgiem" will prove. This is brooding music, played with mesmerzing power by four young men who together may shake the world.
While not yet worthy of the word brilliant, they come close enough. Musicians on the CD include A.T. Vish, Shawn Bann, and Bobby Spell. Each plays his chosen instrument with verve and sensitivity. Even though the band's sound can be loud, it's never needlessly so. There's a boiling kettle of intelligence evident on every track. To some listeners, lowsunday may be too much into pop. To others, the album will sound too far out there. Neither extreme is accurate. Here's a band with promise. With the requisite amount of hard work, lowsunday seems a good bet for eventual rock stardom.
Sam Rosenthal, the wise musician who formed Projekt Records nearly two decades ago, feels that lowsunday has a shot at the brass ring. Rosenthal told Pittsburgh City Paper, "I like music that I remember after I turn the CD player off, and lowsunday fits that criteria.
Not Heavy Enough
Mention heavy metal music and I think of Kiss, those masters of heavy makeup who entertained millions over several decades. Decadent music it may have been, but the thing that made it interesting was its unabashed thumbing of noses toward all who gave the group poor reviews.I'm not acquainted with Tom Hess, an excellent guitarist from Cary, Ill., but I owe him an apology.
In October, Hess sent me a copy of his debut CD called "Opus 1." Somehow that album got buried in the stacks after I listened to it a couple of times. I had forgotten all about "Opus 1" until Hess inquired if I had written about it.
Obviously he's not a rabid reader of "Powerssound," and for that he is forgiven. However, I can't be as generous with his music.
"Opus 1" attempts to become a new breed of virtuoso instrumental guitar compositions. It seeks to combine the neoclassical styles of Yngwie Malmsteen and Jason Becker with the progressive rock styles of Dream Theater and George Bellas, along with the emotion of 19th century Romanticism. (The previous two sentences are from the album's publicity material.)
Hess plays the lead, while guitarist Mike Walsh backs him up, along with percussionist Scott Hess. However, a somewhat different lineup appears on the back of the CD, with Chris Dowgun listed as drummer, Tom Hess on bass and keyboard sequences, and Mike Walsh on guitars.
In any event, "Opus 1" sounds like heavy metal with all the oomph removed. The tempos are lethargic, the melodies numbingly similar, and any sign of energy or enthusiasm has been bled out.
But don't pay attention to me. I told you my idea of metal is Kiss.
The band has a web site at www.guitar9.com, and you can order the CD by going there.
Marino Marooned
Marino (on the CD, he has just the single name) sings with a great deal of confidence and precious little voice on "The Unexpected Alliance" (Marino Records). The 10 tunes -- eight were written by Marino with various collaborators -- are professional, but not especially compelling. Music comes from Marino's guitar, Mark Noryeko on bass and Zavier Marshall on drums and keyboards. Gael MacGregor supplies both backing and lead vocals.The esteemed Les McCann does his superlative keyboard work on four of the cuts. Ace bassist Abraham Laboriel performs on six numbers and the excellent Bobby Lyle is the keyboard veteran for four tunes, while another great keyboards player, Greg Phillingames adds his patented touches for three songs.
All this talent woefully doesn't add up to music. If one must apply a label, this is smooth jazz and suitable for parties. While Marino gives full effort, his voice just isn't good enough or different enough to cause much of a ripple. In other words, nice try but no cigar.
My Apologies to Tom Chapin
Beware of categorizing a musician. He may fool you.For more than three decades, Tom Chapin suffered from two putdowns whenever his name was mentioned.
- First, he was the brother, you know, the younger kin of the wonderful folk singer Harry Chapin, whose "Cat's in the Cradle" continues to be played on oldies rock radio stations.
- The younger Chapin also was the host of a long running and power-Saturday morning kids' TV show, so many of us thought he wasn't to be considered in the same breath as his brother, who died in a tragic auto accident back in 1981.
Now, with the release of his latest album, Tom Chapin makes his most solid bid yet to escape the shadow of his brother.
"Common Ground" (Gadfly Records) is one of those marvelous albums that should appeal to the great unwashed who don't give a hoot about folk music or rock 'n' roll. It's songs are blessed with outstanding, wise and often witty lyrics, the arrangements are excellent throughout and "Common Ground" deserves a serious consideration by anyone who loves music.
Hallejuah! The booklet contains all the lyrics, which has become an increasingly rare occurrence.
My favorite track:
"Roll On Your Way," which winds up: "Roll on your way like a boat upon the ocean
We'll leave our trials on the troubled shore.
Roll on your way and I'll go rollin' with you.
And we will roll 'til we roll no more..."
Tom Chapin is rolling, indeed.
